6: Is There Really a Human Race?
"Is there really a human race? Is it going on now all over the place? When did it start? Who said, "Ready, Set, Go"? Did it start on my birthday? I really must know." -Jamie Lee Curtis The need for speed. Many people may associate this phrase with a famous movie line or the title of a video game, but even before the expression was coined, the incessant desire to drive fast has existed in our society. This is why speed limits are created -- to ensure that the roads will be safe for drivers, pedestrians, and even animals. Somehow, people still found a way to satisfy this need -- and races were created. The need for speed is fulfilled, but in a controlled and safe environment. To deepen our inquiry on the forms of transportation (and to also answer some of the questions they posed on our I Wonder, I Think, I Know Wall), I asked the children, "Have you ever been in a race before?" "No," they said. "What is a RACE?" I continued. "